Spring clip retainer for can closure

ABSTRACT

A retainer clip attached to the ring portion of the ring-andtear-strip easy-opening devices commonly used on metal beverage cans, for the purpose of affixing the ring-and-tear-strip to the rim of the can and thereby conveniently disposing of the ringand-tear-strip after removal from the can, formed with the minimum distance between the opposite sides of the clip less than the maximum cross sectional thickness of the can rim bead, and with contact points located so that the clip will be retained on the bead of the can rim with a rotational couple acting to press the ring-and-tear-strip against the can side, and formed and located on the lateral periphery of the ring with the open end of the clip on the uppermost side of the ring to ensure convenient placement in the optimum and least conspicious position on the can, thereby precluding interference with normal use of the opened can.

[54] SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR CAN CLOSURE Inventor: Herbert Arthur Bly, PO. Box 57,

North Brunswick, NJ. 08902 Filed: May 26, 1970 AppLNo; 40,582

US. Cl. ..220/54, 220/85 CH Int. Cl. ..B65d 17/20 Field of Search ..220/54, 24, 85 CH References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/l893 Murray ..220/85 cu 5/l967 Whalen ..220/54x Primary Examiner-George T. Hall 15] 3,727,799 [4 1 Apr. 17, 19 73 [57] ABSTRACT A retainer clip attached to the ring portion of the ringand-tear-strip easy-opening devices commonly used on metal beverage cans, for the purpose of affixing the ring-and-tear-strip to the rim of the can and thereby conveniently disposing of the ring-and-tear-strip after removal from the can, formed with the minimum distance between the opposite sides of the clip less than the maximum cross sectional thickness of the can rim bead, and with contact points located so that the clip will be retained on the bead of the can rim with a rotational couple acting to press vthe ring-and-tearstrip against the can side, and formed and located on the lateral periphery of the ring with the open end of the clip on the uppermost side of the ring to ensure convenient placement in the optimum and least conspicious position on the can, thereby precluding interference with normal use of the opened can.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEU APR 1 7 I975 Fig. 5.

1 SPRING CLIP RETAINER FOR CAN CLOSURE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in the preferred form of the Retainer for Can Closure described in US. patent application Ser. No. 867,555, filed Oct. 20, 1969. This improved Spring Clip Retainer for Can Closure is a U-shaped metal or plastic projection attached to, or formed as an integral part of the ring portion of the ring-and-tear-strip closure and easyopening device commonly used on cans containing beverages and other comestibles. The spring clip is formed to grip the bead of the can top lid seam for the purpose of affixing the ring and tear strip closure, after removal from the can, to the side of the can in an inconspicuous position oppositethe opening and remote from the users hands. The clip is formed so that the minimum distance between the opposite sides of the U- shaped clip, in its relaxed state before affixing to the can rim bead, is less than themaximum cross sectional thickness of said rim head, so that the clip will be retained on the bead after passing over its thickest portion. The point of contact between the clip and the can rim bead, with the clip affixed, is closer to the top of the bead on the outer surface of the bead than the point of contact on the inner surface of the bead, so that a rotational couple acts on the clip tending to press the ringand-tear-strip into closest possible contact with'the outside cylindrical surface of the can. The retainer clip is located between specified limits on the lateral periphery of the ring and with its open end on the same side as the normally concave surface of the tear strip after removal from the can, to assure location of the ring-and-tear-strip, after affixing to the can rim bead, as far as possible removed fromthe normal position of the users fingers, and with the curvatureof the tear strip essentially conforming to the curvature of the cylindrical surface of the can, to minimize exposure of sharp surfaces.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a can showing the 'ring-and-tear-strip easy-opening device removed and enlarged, fragmentary sectional view of normally wasted material from the center portion of the sheet metal blank from which the ring is stamped.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view showing the retainer clip affixed to the can rim bead.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the ring-and-tear-strip opening device after removal from the can and before being affixed to the can rim.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to improvements in the preferred form of the Retainer for Can Closure described in US. patent application Ser. No. 867,555, Filing Date Oct. 20, 1969 by Herbert Arthur Bly. The preferred form of the Retainer for Can Closure consists of a spring retainer clip made of metal or plastic, permanently attached to, or formed as an integral part of the ring portion of the metal ring-and-tear-strip closure and easy-opening device commonly used on cans containing beverages and other liquids and specially formed to grip the top seam head of the can. Since filing the above-referenced patent application, further research and development has led to the discovery of new matter herein described, and not presented, or not fully described, in said application.

The object of my invention is to provide a convenient, safe, and esthetically satisfactory means of disposing of the removed ring-and-tear-strip opening device commonly used on beverage cans, by affixing said ring-and-tear-stn'p to the top rim bead of the can, as shown in FIG. 1, in an inconspicuous location against and conforming to the cylindrical side surface of the can, as high as possible on the side of the can, to minimize exposure of sharp edges and to avoid interference with the normal use of the can.

Referring now to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, to understand the improvements hereinafter described, it is important to note that the inside surface 1 of the conventional can top bead is substantially cylindrical or slightly conical, and the outside surface 2 is spheroidal, or compound curved. Further, the cross-sectional thickness of the bead, 3 to 4, is greater at or near the mid-section due to the fact that more thicknesses of metal are present than at the top 5 and the bottom 6 of the head, as a result of the inter-locking construction of the seam.

In its preferred form as shown in FIG. 3-, the spring retainer clip 7 is formed of a thin strip of metal or plastic, with the sides 8 and 9 essentially plane, nonparallel and converging toward the open end. With the spring clip relaxed, the minimum distance between the opposite inside surfaces 10 and II at the open end of the clip, is: (1) less than the maximum cross sectional thickness 3 to 4, FIG. 2, of the can bead, and (2) less than the maximum distance 12 to 13, FIG. 3, between the plane opposite sides at the closed end of the clip. The depth, or distance from a line drawn between the points of 'narrowestclearance wand 11, FIG. 3, to the. top insidesurface 14 of the clip at the closed end, must also be greater than the distance from a line drawn between the points of maximuin cross-sectional thickness of the can bead 3 to 4, FIG. 2, to the top of the bead 5, FIG. 2.

A clip of this form, when installed on the can rim as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 will be retained, since to pass the clip over the thickest portion of the bead will require a slight positive force to deflect the spring and separate the sides of the clip, and to remove it will require a like positive force.

It will also be noted in FIG. 4 that, due to the extended conical inner surface of the can rim bead and the spheroidal or compound curved form of the outer surface, a clip of this shape has a point of contact 16 on the inner surface at a greater distance from the top of the bead 5 than the point of contact 17 on the outside spherodal can rim. Thus, the forces acting on the clip at points 16 and 17 after installation on the can rim bead form a rotational couple" tending to rotatethe clip outward around the can rim, in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. 4, thereby pressing the ring-and-tearstrip opening device into closest possible contact with the can side.

It will also be noted in FIGS. 3 and 4 that a bent-up tab portion or sloped lead-in surface is provided on the open end of the clip to guide the open end of the clip over the bead of the can rim during placement. The corners of this bent up tab portion are rounded,. 18, FIG. 5, to provide additional guidance in the event the clip is not held perpendicular to the axis of the can during placement.

To meet the foregoing requirements, the clip must be affixed to the ring with its open end 19, FIG. 5 on the same side as the normally concave surface 20, FIG. 5 of the tear strip after opening. The open end of the clip is then upward when the ring is in place on the can top before opening. Further, the clip must be so located on the periphery of the ring that it does not come in contact with the users finger when opening the can, and retains the tear strip in the highest possible position on the can side and therefore as far as possible removed from the normal gripping position of the users fingers as shown in FIG. 1. To meet these requirements, the

clip must be located on the periphery of the ring such that a line C'C', drawn parallel to its sides, forms an angle D between 80 and 100 with a line A'-A' drawn from the outermost extremity of the tear strip to the outermost extremity of the ring, as shown in FIG. 5. While the clip is shown in its preferred position on the periphery of the ring, an acceptable alternate location is opposite the indicated position, in which case a line drawn parallel to its sides must form an angle between 80 and 100 with the corresponding line BB'.

A principal economical means of attaching the spring clip to the ring is to form the clip as an integral part of the ringas shown in FIG. 3. The ring itself is normally formed from a blank stamped from a sheet'of metal. The clip may be formed from the same blank, utilizing the normally wasted center area of the 'ring. In this manner, the clip is bent out over the ring as shown in the section view, 21, FIG. 3.

I claim: l

l. A spring clip attached to the ring used in conjunction with ring-and-tear-strip easy-opening closures, formed so that the point of contact on the inside can rim is at a greater distance from the highest point on the top surface of the bead than the point of contact on the outside can rim, thus providing a rotational couple acting on the clip between the inner and outer contact points and tending to rotate the clip outward around the can bead and forcing the. ring-and-tear-strip attached to the clip firmly against the side of the can.

2. The spring clip of claim 1, formed so that the minimum distance between the inside surfaces of the opposite sides of the clip, with the spring in its relaxed state, is less than the maximum cross-sectional thickness of the can rim bead, so that the clip, after being affixed to the can rim bead and passing over the thickest portion will be retained on the bead.

3. The spring clip of claim 1, formed with the sides onaralleLand c nver in toward the o 'n en so t at the minimum istane etween' the msi e su aces of the opposite sides of the clip, is less than the maximum distance between the opposite inside surfaces at the closed end of the clip.

4. The spring clip of claim 1, formed so that the distance from a line drawn between thepoints of hairrowest clearance to the top inside surface of the clip at the closed end, is greater than the distance from a line through the point of maximum cross-sectional thickness of the can bead to the top or uppermost point on the bead.

5. The spring clip of claim 1, formed with a bent tab with relieved or rounded corners on the open end of the clip, to' guide the open end of the clip over the can rim and facilitate affixing the clip to the can rim.

6. The spring clip of claim 1, formed as an integral part of the ring by forming the clip from the unused center portion of the sheet metal blank from which the ring is stamped, bent out as an extension from the rolled inner portion of the ring.

7. The spring clip of claim 1, with the open side of the clip located on the top side or outer surface of the ring in its normal position on the unopened can top, and therefore, on the same side as the normally concave surface of the tear strip after removal from the can, thus assuring that the concave surface of the tear strip after being affixed to the rim bead of the can, will be facing toward the cylindrical side surface of the can and substantially following its curvature, bringing it into closest possible contact with the can and minimiiing exposure of sharp edges of the tear strip. g

8. The spring clip of claim 5,v located on the periphery of the ring on either the right orle'ft hand side as the can is heldin normal drinking position before opening and with a line drawn parallel to the sides of the clip forming an angle between and; with a line drawn from the outerextremity of the ring to the outer extremity of the tear strip on the same side of the ring as the clip, so that the tear stripmay .be readily affixed to the can rim with a minimum of motion and without removing or changingthe position of the users fingerin the ringfrom the normal position while opening the can, and after being affixed to the can rim is located as close as possible to the top of the can and as far as possible away from the normal grippingposition of the users hands. 

1. A spring clip attached to the ring used in conjunction with ring-and-tear-strip easy-opening closures, formed so that the point of contact on the inside can rim is at a greater distance from the highest point on the top surface of the bead than the point of contact on the outside can rim, thus providing a rotational couple acting on the clip between the inner and outer contact points and tending to rotate the clip outward around the can bead and forcing the ring-and-tear-strip attached to the clip firmly against the side of the can.
 2. The spring clip of claim 1, formed so that the minimum distance between the inside surfaces of the opposite sides of the clip, with the spring in its relaxed state, is less than the maximum cross-sectional thickness of the can rim bead, so that the clip, after being affixed to the can rim bead and passing over the thickest portion will be retained on the bead.
 3. The spring clip of claim 1, formed with the sides non-parallel and converging toward the open end, so that the minimum distance between the inside surfaces of the opposite sides of the clip, is less than the maximum distance between the opposite inside surfaces at the closed end of the clip.
 4. The spring clip of claim 1, formed so that the distance from a line drawn between the points of narrowest clearance to the top inside surface of the clip at the closed end, is greater than the distance from a line through the point of maximum cross-sectional thickness of the can bead to the top or uppermost point on the bead.
 5. The spring clip of claim 1, formed with a bent tab with relieved or rounded corners on the open end of the clip, to guide the open end of the clip over the can Rim and facilitate affixing the clip to the can rim.
 6. The spring clip of claim 1, formed as an integral part of the ring by forming the clip from the unused center portion of the sheet metal blank from which the ring is stamped, bent out as an extension from the rolled inner portion of the ring.
 7. The spring clip of claim 1, with the open side of the clip located on the top side or outer surface of the ring in its normal position on the unopened can top, and therefore, on the same side as the normally concave surface of the tear strip after removal from the can, thus assuring that the concave surface of the tear strip after being affixed to the rim bead of the can, will be facing toward the cylindrical side surface of the can and substantially following its curvature, bringing it into closest possible contact with the can and minimizing exposure of sharp edges of the tear strip.
 8. The spring clip of claim 5, located on the periphery of the ring on either the right or left hand side as the can is held in normal drinking position before opening and with a line drawn parallel to the sides of the clip forming an angle between 80* and 100* with a line drawn from the outer extremity of the ring to the outer extremity of the tear strip on the same side of the ring as the clip, so that the tear strip may be readily affixed to the can rim with a minimum of motion and without removing or changing the position of the user''s finger in the ring from the normal position while opening the can, and after being affixed to the can rim is located as close as possible to the top of the can and as far as possible away from the normal gripping position of the user''s hands. 